ANDRA: From Water To Drags, Jarrod Healey Is Chasing Success
He might have spent most of his life in competitive water skiing, but Echuca’s Jarrod Healey is sure making waves in his new-found pursuit: drag racing.
Healey will be competing in Competition Bike at South Coast Raceway next weekend as part of the South Coast Nationals, which includes the latest round of the 2022/2023 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series.
While Healey’s prevailing goal is to have fun, his bike is proving reliable and success cannot be too far in his future.
“I am loving the adrenalin and the people you meet racing and travelling to the events,” Healey said.
“I bought the bike off Facebook about 15 months ago, and it came from Gladstone in Queensland all the way to Echuca via Road Hog Transport.
“It is a 2010 1400cc Hayabusa and I am absolutely loving it – it is very reliable and just keeps going and going! So far, my best time is 8.79 on the quarter-mile at 153mph, and 5.67 on the eighth-mile.
“I have spent most of my life water ski racing, so this is definitely a new and exciting sport and I am really enjoying it so far!”
Healey first raced the bike at South Coast Raceway last year in the 2021 South Coast Nationals.
“It is a great venue at which to race and also to watch with all the lawn and the view of the whole track, I am looking forward to camping there this year too,” said the 47 year old surveyor.
“We will be heading to Portland this time around as we did last time, looking to compete and have fun. I like that they do the Chicago Shootout format for Competition Bike, as that means more runs which is always a good thing!
“I am hoping to race at all the Victorian Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series events, and in the future I would like to travel to other events as well,” he said, while thanking his family, friends, crew and sponsors for their support, including Nathan Clark at NCC Mechanical and 4WD Diesel Performance.
The South Coast Nationals will be held at Portland’s South Coast Raceway across December 10 and 11. For event info, go to www.southcoastraceway.com.au
The Australian National Drag Racing Association Ltd, or ANDRA for short, is the drag racing sanctioning body of Australia. The organization was created in 1973 from a more drag racing oriented faction of the Australian Hot Rod Federation. Today ANDRA sanctions races throughout Australia and throughout the year at all levels, from Top Fuel to Junior Dragster, on everything from temporary regional tracks to international standard facilities in capital cities. ANDRA and its members make drag racing a family-friendly, safe sport. So come along as a spectator or bring your street car to an “off-street” event and enjoy the excitement that is Australian drag racing. www.andra.com.au
